Cursed Inheritance
by km909
Summary: Two siblings travelled all the way back to 1878 just to seek the legendary manslayer. But why?
1. Chapter 1

Cursed Inheritance

Chapter 1

_BLAAAAAAG!_

Sano and Yahiko opened the dojo's door and ran immediately to the backyard to see the intruder. After them were Kenshin and Kaoru, also curious to check out who just broke in their home.

"That's why I told you we should not come here at this time. When they find us, they might accuse us of something bad," the young lass said to her brother while she was touching her head to ease the pain of her landing's impact on it.

"Alright, sorry about that. I guess—" and the young lad's words suddenly vanished when they saw pairs of familiar-looking eyes staring at them.

"Just who are you?" Sano asked, his tone a little doubtful about the visitors' motives.

"If you have any intentions of robbing this place, you have to face us first!" Yahiko yelled.

"I'm sorry if we have to budge in like this," the young woman replied as she knelt earnestly before Kenshin's group. "My brother and I never meant to inflict harm on anyone of you. I'm terribly sorry."

"Your brother?" Kaoru asked, a little puzzled on what she heard. Suddenly, she saw the young lad beside the lady she was taking to. She was in a great disbelief of what she was seeing, as she and all the other members of Kenshin's group focused their eyes on the young lady's brother.

"He's your brother?" Yahiko asked after scrutinizing the lad on a certain distance and suddenly turning his eyes to Kenshin, as everyone did.

"They sure look exactly the same, right?" Sano whispered to Yahiko's ear.

"Yeah, the only difference is that this fellow has darker red hair and blue eyes." Yahiko responded. "And look at that girl. She's got Kaoru's face; the only difference is that she has red hair and violet eyes."

"So are you ready to tell us who you really are, where are you from and why you went here?" Kenshin asked in his calmest tone.

The young lad could not take it anymore. He uttered his words as if it were the most natural response to Kenshin's question. "Well, the truth is we're your—" but before he can continue, his sister covered his mouth.

"I'm sorry about my elder brother's impoliteness. Before I tell you who we are, could you promise us one thing?" the young lady asked.

"It depends on what you're going to say." Yahiko said.

Kaoru pounded Yahiko with her wooden sword and then turned back to the young lady and asked. "What is it?"

"Well, promise us not to faint when you hear who we really are." The young lass replied, still covering her brother's mouth while he was struggling to free himself so he could finally speak.

"Huh?" Kenshin asked, as it was his most natural reaction.

"What do you mean?" Kaoru asked.

"Alright, Brother," the young lass said as she removed her hands from covering his mouth. "it's time for you to speak up."

"Well, thank you so much, Kyoko for letting me breathe and—" The young lad's sarcastic remarks towards his sister was stopped when he heard the sound of Kaoru clearing up her throat. _"Ehem."_

"Sorry about that. Well as my sister said—well, uh— we're your children, Dad, Mom." The young lad confessed his eyes closed so he would not see his parents' reactions.


	2. Chapter 2

Cursed Inheritance

Chapter 2

"WHAAAAAT?" everyone's voice, except Kenshin's echoed in a chorus.

"Dad," the young lady said, looking at Kenshin's direction. "I'm Kyoko Himura, your daughter."

Kaoru was shocked. "But you— you just look like we have the same age— KENSHIN! What's this about?" Kaoru yelled as she grabbed Kenshin's clothes.

"I honestly don't know, Miss Kaoru. I never had a child, that I never had!" Kenshin was already pleading to her so he could get free.

"Uhm, Mom," the young lad finally spoke once more as he looked at Kaoru's direction, which silenced her from torturing Kenshin for a while. "I'm Kenji Himura, Kyoko's brother, and your son to Kenshin Himura."

Kaoru suddenly turned pale as she let go of Kenshin's clothes. Later on, her face turned red.

"W-what do you mean?" Kaoru was stammering as she asked.

"Mom, I know you are not going to believe it but we're really your children. We used a certain spell to travel back here at this time. You don't believe us, do you?" Kyoko asked.

Kenshin and Kaoru just stared blankly at the siblings.

"Well, if you're going to ask me, Missy, these two sure do look a like the two of you. I could almost conclude that by merely looking at them." Sanosuke said.

"I could say that too." Yahiko approved Sano's comment. "Kyoko has Kenshin's hair and eye color, not to mention your face, Kaoru."

"And this young guy here, he sure looks identical to Kenshin, only with a different eye color and darker hair color." Sano said.

"But there's something wrong…." Yahiko commented as he looked closely at Kyoko's face.

"Huh? What's that?" Kyoko asked.

"There's no way Kaoru's gonna be your mom. I can understand Kenshin, but having a beautiful face such as that— that's never gonna be from Ugly!" Yahiko said.

_*BLAG BLAG*_

Yahiko lay unconscious on the floor as he was hit by Kaoru's wooden sword.

"But Mom," Kyoko said "though Uncle Yahiko said those rude words, I cannot doubt that my beauty came from you." Kyoko said.

"Oh, you're such a sweet, good and honest child. You must really be my daughter. I must say I raised you well enough." Kaoru said. The two women laughed as Kenshin, Sanosuke and Kenji stared blankly at the two of them as they threw their compliments to each other.

"They really got along so quickly." Sano said.

Kenji, having been pissed off by Kyoko's continuous praising to Kaoru finally spoke up.

"Shut up, Kyoko! Mom may be beautiful, but you aren't. Uncle Yahiko's just praising you because he is in favour of you always. The truth is you're not good looking at all!"

_*BLAG BLAG*_

Kyoko hit his brother with the reversed-blade sword's handle. "I'm sorry about my elder brother's rude attitude. He really needs lessons in manners. Dad, please find time to educate your good example to him while we're here, please?" Kyoko said as she laughed afterwards.

"Ah, yes, of course," Kenshin replied as Kyoko asked him for a favor. Later on, he noticed the thing which Kyoko used to pound Kenji's head.

"Uhhh, Miss Kyoko, Is that my reversed-blade sword you got there?"

Kaoru and Sanosuke also looked. "But how did you get that from Kenshin's—?" Kaoru asked as she looked towards Kenshin.

Kenshin checked his side. His reversed-blade sword was still with him. "Don't worry, Miss Kaoru, I still have my sword here. The sword Miss Kyoko is holding is different from mine."

Kaoru's eyes were filled with relief after hearing that, but she realized she was staring directly at Kenshin's eyes, and at the exact moment, Kenshin did the same. Then both of them remembered what Kyoko just confessed and turned their eyes away from each other at the same time. They were both blushing.

Kyoko, Kenji and Sanosuke laughed after seeing this. Yahiko just gained consciousness after being pounded by Kaoru's wooden sword so he wondered why the three were laughing.

Kyoko was still laughing when she spoke. "Father, first of all, please don't call me 'Miss'. I know you have deep respect for women, well especially me, because I'm your daughter. But the same reason also applies why you shouldn't affix that title on my name. You sound like a stranger calling me out. Is that alright, Father?"

"Why, yes, of course, Miss— I mean, Kyoko." Kenshin said.

Kyoko smiled. "And Father, this isn't really a different sword. This is really your reversed-blade sword. Oh yeah— this shall really prove that we are really your children."

Kyoko took the sword out and showed it to her father. Kenshin saw it and knew it was really the same sword he had, the difference is that it has somewhat deteriorated. But such deterioration was seen by Kenshin alone, since he was the original owner of the sword.

"Well, you still don't believe me, Father, do you?" Kyoko asked.

"Uhhh," Kenshin uttered, as if he didn't know what to respond.

Kyoko threw an apple in the air and diced it through the sword in a fraction of a second.

"Whoah!" Yahiko said in amazement.

"That sure is something." Sano reacted.

"You see now, Father. It's not only the reversed-blade sword I got from you. I got your talent as well." Kyoko said and then smiled at Kenshin.

Kenshin was surprised. He did not know what to say.

"Well, if you still don't believe me, I can enumerate a few anecdotes of embarrassing moments that the two of you had like how many times you saw Mom bathing when you were still not married. I can narrate it in detail if you—"

"Alright, alright!" Kenshin said. "I believe you, Miss— err— Kyoko!"


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

"Alright Kyoko, we believe you. Now, could you tell us why you decided to come here?" Kaoru asked.

The young Kasshin assistant master triggered the tears on Kyoko's eyes.

"Oh that? It's because…" Kyoko uttered with a voice half-crying, just like a fragile object about to break. "I want to see the two of you so badly..."

She then rushed to her mother and father, gave them a hug and started sobbing. "I also want to seek advice from you so badly." she added through a soft whisper.

"Kyoko is right. We need your guide, Mom, Dad." Kenji added while looking on his parents who also hugged Kyoko while she was crying.

"So… Tell me, Kyoko, what's the problem?" Kaoru asked as she let go of her daughter's arms.

Kyoko dried her tears with her handkerchief and started narrating what happened.

"Well, the truth is, Mom, not all the relatives of the people whom Dad had killed were appeased even until our generation."

"So what you mean to say is someone is still seeking revenge to you?" Sano asked.

"Yes, Uncle Sano. And they're so desperate, they'd resort to even greater diabolical plans than what you guys have already encountered." Kenji answered.

"What do you mean by that?" Yahiko asked.

"Someone made a curse on my sister two days before she was born." Kenji explained.

"A curse? What kind of curse?" Kaoru asked.

"The one who made this said that she would be the one to bear all the hardships and guilt Dad has to bear being Battousai the Manslayer." Kenji responded which made the faces of the Kenshin's group shocked. "And that's not all."

"And what else is there?" a slightly aggravated Kenshin asked.

"That person also stated that she will have to bear that manslayer within Dad." Kenji added.

"So you mean the one who made the goddamn curse transferred the manslayer within Kenshin to Kyoko?" Sano asked.

"Yes, and that's partially true for now." said Kenji.

"Partially true? But why?" Yahiko asked.

"That person said… when Kyoko turns fifteen, the mark identical to the Battousai's mark shall make the curse complete." explained Kenji. "But then the perpetrator retracted it and made the curse up to seventeen instead."

"I wonder why that creep did that." Yahiko commented.

"And that person would target Kyoko when she turns seventeen…Kyoko, how old are you?" Kaoru asked, as if it were a natural response to such a stimulus.

"Sixteen. Turning seventeen in three days." Kyoko answered.

"Then stay here. Don't go back to the present time yet!" Kaoru ordered.

"But Mom—"

"No buts. That's an order from your mother."

"But—"

"I said no buts!"

"Mom," Kenji interrupted. "she was trying to tell you that's the original plan we are having."

"Oh. Is that so?" And Kaoru laughed. "Silly me!"

The Kenshin's group stared blankly at her with drops of sweats in their heads. Kyoko then noticed Kenshin's reaction because he was the only one unaffected by Kaoru's remarks. He seems too quiet.

"Dad? Is there something wrong?" Kyoko asked.

"Is Enishi Yukishiro involved in this?" Kenshin asked.

"We don't know much about the conspiracies, but the one who made that curse is a woman." Kenji said.

"How did you come up with Enishi being involved in this, Kenshin?" Yahiko asked.

"I got this scar when I was about fifteen, so I can imagine why they planned to put it at Kyoko during that age. No one else knows better about what has happened other than Enishi." he explained. "But then I couldn't figure out the reason why they had to retract it and make it seventeen."

"I think I can give you clues as to who the perpetrator is, Father." Kyoko said.

"Who is it? Tell me." Kenshin said with obvious seriousness in his tone and eyes.

"Do you know of someone who has the surname of Asakawa?" the Battousai's daughter asked.

Kenshin thought for a while, then he remembered him— It was one of the worst form of assassinations he ever had to do. The name came to him after a few seconds of trailing off: Matsumo Asakawa— a prime rival of the Ishin Shishi (Imperialists).


	4. Chapter 4

**Cursed Inheritance**

Chapter 4

"Yeah. I know one. Matsumo Asakawa. He was a former member of the Ishin Shishi but betrayed the group. He knows lots of details that might lead to the fall of the Ishin Shishi and because… because…" Kenshin looked down and became silent.

"Kenshin?" Kaoru asked feeling concerned about him.

"Because someone from the group has to blackmail me, I was forced to assassinate this guy when he was sleeping."

Silence reigned inside the dojo for a minute.

"Dad," Kyoko finally broke the silence. "I think his daughter is seeking revenge on me. I once confronted her on a sword duel." she added.

"Kyoko!" Kenji shouted. "Why didn't you tell me about this? I thought you still haven't known about your enemy."

"I'm sorry, Brother. I don't want to make you worry too much before." Kyoko answered in a soft voice.

She turned again to Kenshin and said, "As for the other details, she confronted me with a white cloak over her face, so I can only see her eyes. Then she just mentioned her surname. She said that was the surname of her father, and she added that I should ask you about that surname if it rings a bell on you."

Feeling shocked, Kenshin remained silent and looked at the floor, absorbing the things Kyoko just told her.

Kyoko took Kenshin's hands and spoke. "Father, don't worry so much. We did not come here to upset you. We came here because need your words and at the same time— We need you. We need you to stay alive. Please, don't fight anymore."

Tears once again filled Kyoko's eyes as she was looking at Kenshin. " Don't fight anymore, please!" She could not control her emotions anymore and finally broke down. "We told you this not to blame you, so don't blame yourself. We told you this because we need you to be strong for us! I know you feel responsible for this but the curse was inflicted on me. This is my fight. I can take care of myself, don't worry." Kyoko's voice trailed off with a smile as she spoke the last words.

"But Kyoko, if it wasn't for my foolish acts you wouldn't be facing a situation like this and—"

"Father, why do you think Kenji and I tried a certain spell to come back in this time? Tell me, why would we ever come this far and seek your advice if Mom and you were there on our present era?"

Kenshin was shocked by the question. He felt the sudden fright creeping within him, like a snake waiting to catch him as a prey.

Kenji looked at Kaoru's worried face and back to Kenshin as he spoke, "Mom, Dad, please stay alive for us. That's all we are saying now. We're imploring you. Please stay alive."

Tears rushed down to Kaoru's face as she was listening to Kenji and Kyoko. She was about to give a hug to the siblings when Kenshin and the rest suddenly felt an unwanted presence outside.


End file.
